


Just Like Every Other Night

by legendaryroar



Series: Sheith Angst Week 2018 [7]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 05:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15857469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legendaryroar/pseuds/legendaryroar
Summary: Keith revisits that fight a lot.





	Just Like Every Other Night

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sheith Angst Week Day 7 **Nightmares** / ~~Amnesia~~.

_When Keith feels the sting across his cheek, he reacts, calling on the bayard and acting on instinct. He puts all his remaining strength behind the movement, and sucks in a deep breath as Shiro’s weight finally shifts off him._

_Drawing on his last reserves, he pulls himself to his feet._

“ _Keith?”_

_It sounds like Shiro again. But something’s wrong. Blood spurts and spills from Shiro’s severed arm He falls to his knees. His hand comes to the stump of his arm, but the blood spills over and around it, more and more. Keith rushes forward to catch him as he topples forward._

_The madness is gone from his eyes, but the colour is draining from his face as the blood continues to gush from his arm. It pools around them, and Keith can feel it, hot and wet through his suit, seeping in around the plates of armour._

“ _No, this isn’t...I didn’t...”_

_He paws at the stump of Shiro’s arm, but can’t find where the blood is coming from. It’s all metal, but there’s blood everywhere, his fingers slip in it._

“ _Keith? What happened?” Shiro asks, his voice weak. He reaches up to touch Keith’s face. His fingers slip, smearing blood in their wake. It burns worse than where Shiro’s blade scorched him._

“ _Keith?”_

“ _I didn’t...I was just...”_

_The words won’t come. He keeps trying to find the source of the blood but there’s too much, he can’t see. Shiro keeps touching his face. He touches his lips. Keith can taste the blood._

“ _Keith? Keith!”_

_There are other hands on him, shaking. He leans into them with a sob as Shiro slips from his grasp and fades away._

When he opens his eyes, Shiro is leaning over him. Light illuminates the room. There’s no blood, there’s colour to his cheeks. His hand is warm and gentle on Keith’s face now.

“Keith? I’ve got you. You’re alright.”

A sob wrenches free from Keith’s throat as Shiro’s fingers slip on his cheek. He reaches up and follows their path, then pulls his hand away. Wet, but clear. Tears. He’s crying.

“What...?”

Shiro sighs and captures his hand, kissing the tears on his fingertips. “You were dreaming. It’s over now. You’re safe.”

Keith takes him in, searching for blood. Searching for that manic glint in his eyes. There’s nothing but warmth and calm. There’s nothing but a clean stump where they managed to strip away the remaining portion of Shiro’s prosthetic arm. He reaches out and touches it, half afraid blood will spill out beneath his fingers, but it doesn’t. It’s just warm, dry skin, bumpy with scar tissue.

“Are you okay?” Shiro asks, still hovering over him, leaning down and pressing their foreheads together.

Keith thinks about it for a moment, thinks about lying. “No,” he whispers.

Shiro signs again, and lifts his head to brush a kiss to Keith’s forehead. “It will get better. The nightmares will fade. I’m right here. I’m okay.”

“What if I—”

“Don’t go there,” Shiro interrupts, moving off him and lying on his side. He pulls at Keith until Keith turns too, and then Shiro presses close behind him, enveloping him and covering him, looping a strong arm around his waist. “It’s in the past. Wondering now won’t make any difference except to drive you mad.”

“If I had killed it, you wouldn’t have had a body to return to,” Keith whispers.

Shiro kisses his shoulder. “But you didn’t, and I’m here. The nightmares will fade, just give yourself more time.”

Keith inhales slowly, finds Shiro’s hand and laces their fingers together. “I can’t bear the idea of life without you.”

“You won’t have to,” Shiro whispers. “I’m right here, and I’m not going to leave you again. I love you. So much, Keith.”

Keith grips his hand tight and closes his eyes against the tears that start spilling again. Shiro presses his face to the nape of Keith’s neck as his body starts to shake with tears. He whispers soothing words and kisses along his shoulder again.

It’s a long time before Keith manages to stop crying. It’s even longer before sleep rises up to take him again, but Shiro stays there, curled around him. Just like every other night, and every other nightmare.

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to end the angst week with some cuddling =)
> 
> You can find me at [legendaryroar](http://legendaryroar.tumblr.com) on tumblr.


End file.
